Mollie O’Callaghan upset Tokyo Olympic champion Ariane Titmus to seize the 200m freestyle crown at the Australian championships Thursday.
Titmus, who won the 400m and 800m on Queensland’s Gold Coast, was pipped at the post in a stacked field by O’Callaghan, the world champion over 100m who touched in 1:55.15.
Only Canadian star Summer McIntosh and American great Katie Ledecky have gone faster this year.
Shayna Jack was third ahead of backstroke world record holder Kaylee McKeown, who capped an impressive championships that saw her try her hand at different strokes.
“I’m happy with the time but also wish it was a lot faster than it was,” said O’Callaghan.
“I felt dead in the end, I’m not going to lie. My legs were gone.”
In choosing to race freestyle, McKeown opted out of the 200m backstroke after setting a new world record just weeks ago at the New South Wales state championships.
In her absence, 16-year-old Jaclyn Barclay took the honours in 2:11.50 — a long way outside McKeown’s 2:03.14 world best.
